Fire-box structure



I. P. NEFF. FIRE BOX STRUCTURE.

1,426,404. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1919. Aug. 22,

earner castes.

JOHN P. NEFF, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO- AMERICAN ARCH COMPANY, or NEW YORK, n. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FIRE-BOX STRUCTURE.

Application filed March 17, 1919. Serial No. 283,034.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN P. NEFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Box Structures, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention relates to fire boxes for boilers and particularly to locomotive fire boxes, and it has as one of its primary objects the provision of an improved arrangement of fire box somewhat in the nature of a retort, and having certain of the advantages'incident to such form of furnace.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of a novel arrangement of circulating tubes whereby the same may be utilized in supporting the bricks constituting the arch in an improved manner whereby to assist in obtaining proper com-- bustion and increase in efliciency.

My invention also contemplates the provision of an improved fire box structure of, the character specified in which the parts are readily accessible.

I accomplish the foregoing, together with such other objects as may hereinafter apusual form of locomotive fire box comprising outside and inside throat sheets 7 and 8 respectively; inside and outside back sheets 9 and 10 respectively; inside and outside sheets 11 and 12 respectively; a crown sheet 13, a top sheet 14, and a flue sheet 15, from which the fiues 16 lead forwardly in the customary manner.

Extending transversely of the fire box and s aced away from the flue sheet 15 I provi e a cross wall17, composed of bricks, or other suitable refractory material, such. wall being supported on the cross bearer or carrier 18. This cross wall is shown in end elevation 1n Figure 2.

The circulation tubes 19, instead of connecting the front and rear water le S, formed by the sheets 7, 8, 9, and 10, are dlsposedin a substantially vertical plane and connect the lower part of the water legs, formed by the side sheets 11 and 12, with the space above the crown sheet 13, the tubes being bent somewhat in the form of a U or V so that they project inwardly toward the center of the box, as is clearly illustratedin Figure 2. The end bricks of the cross wall 17 are constructed to bear against the inside surfaces of the forward set of tubes 19, so that the cross wall is also in the general shape of an inverted V. The side Walls, indicated as a whole at A and preferably composed of a plurality of refractory bricks, are supported ,on the inclined limbs 19 of the tubes 19, the lower course of such bricks resting upon the inside side sheets 11. These Walls which extend longitudinally of the fire box are carried upwardly to approximately the median line of the fire box.

Supported on the upper inclined limbs 19 Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, 1922. l

of the circulation tubes is another wall, in-

dicated as a whole at B, such wall being preferably composed of crown shaped bricks interlocking at their inner ends and having their outer ends resting upon tubes. The interlocking means provided at the inner ends of the bricks consists of a groove 20 and a tongue 21, each brick having such a tongue and groove whereby the same form of brick when reversed with respect to an adjacent brick will interlock therewith. -The wall B it will be seen from inspection of Figure 2 is located a short distance above the upper ends of the walls A.

' It will be seen from the foregoing that the cross wall 17 and the walls .A and B together with the remaining portions of the fire box constitute a furnace somewhat in the nature of a retort. The arrangement is also such that .three longitudinal spaces C, D and E- are provided through which the products of combustion passing around the rear ends of the walls A andB must travel in their flow to the fines. A portion of thegases, however, will fiow upwardly from the interior over the top edges of the walls A, and outwardly in the direction of the arrows, intermingling with the ases travelling longitudinally in the spaces a D and E, thus securing an intimate mixture of the aseswhich-tends toward more perfect com ustion and efiiciency in operation.

It will also be noted that the arrangement is such that the lower ends of the tubes which are subjected to the greatest heat are in a measure protected by the bricks of the long the life of the tubes while at the same time it will be seen, that a maximum circu= lation through the tubes is obtained. This circulation is increased not only because of the vertical arrangement of the tubes, but also because the number of tubes can be increased over standard practices, thus increasing the volume or water that can be handled without in any way detracting from the accessibility of the parts, and also because the length or the tubes is materially cut down decreasing friction losses. 7 The importance of having all of the parts of the fire box readily accessible and the bricks so arranged as to be readily removable and replaceable is well understood in this art and needs no explanation, it being sufficient to point out inthis connection that my improved structure of fire boxes is such as to accomplish this result while at the same time it has all of the advantages hereinbefore pointed out.

llt will be apparent from the foregoing that my improved fire box also turns over the contents of the boiler more rapidly, as well as increases the eiliciency in other respects, and also that the shape of the tubes is such that they readily accommodate themselves to changes in the shape of the fire box resulting from expansion and contraction, thus avoiding the development of leaks.

ll claim:

1. The combination in a locomotive fire box having side water legs and a cross wall in the forward part thereof, of a plurality of circulation tubes at each side of the box arranged in substantially vertical planes in the box and bent so as to connect the upper and lower ends of the same water leg, and side and top arch walls supported on the tubfis and extending rearwardly of the cross wa 2. A locomotive fire box having side water legs comprising in combination a cross wall, a plurality of substantially Ll-shaped circulation tubes at each side of the box arranged to connect the upper and lower ends of the water legs, and side and top arch walls supported on said tubes and extending rearwardly of the cross wall.

3. A locomotive fire box having side water legs comprising in combination a cross wall, a plurality of substantially U-shaped circulation tubes at each side of the box arranged to connect the upper and lower ends of the water legs, and side and top arch walls supported on said tubes and extending rear inaenoa wardly of the cross wall, said side arch wall being spaced away from the top wall.

4:. The combination with a locomotive fire box having water spaces and a combustion chamber provided Withfla cross wall, of a plurality of substantially U-shaped circulating tubes disposed in substantially vertical planes in the box, each of said tubes connecting the upper and lower portions of one water space, and an arch wall supported on said tubes and extending rearwardly from the cross wall.

5. In a locomotive fire box construction having side water legs, a cross wall, a crown sheet, and a water space thereabove, the combination of a circulation tube at each side of the fire box connecting its respective water leg to the space above the crown sheet, a baflle at each side of the box carried on said tubes, and a bafie above said first bafiies supported by and spanning the space between said tubes, said baffles extending rearwardly of said cross wall.

6. Tn a locomotive fire box construction having side water legs, a crown sheet, and a water space thereabove, the combination ofa circulation tube at each side of the fire box connecting its respective water leg to the space above the crown sheet, a cross wall in the forward part of the fire box, a battle at each side of the box carried on said tubes, and a battle above said first bailles supported by and spanning the-space between said tubes, said bailles cooperating with the cross wall to form a chamber below them and to the rear of the wall.

7. Tn a locomotive fire box construction having side water legs, a cross wall, a crown sheet, and a water space thereabove, the combination of a series of circulation tubes on each side of the fire box, each series connecting its respective water leg to the space above the crown sheet, an inclined battle at each side of the box carried on said tubes, and a substantially transversely extending bafiie above said first battles supported by said tubes, there being a circulation space for the products of combustion between the side battles and said upper bafile, said bafies extending rearwardly of said cross wall.

8. In a locomotive fire box construction having side water legs, a crown sheet, and a water space thereabove, the combination or a series of circulation tubes on each side of the fire box, each series connecting its respective water leg to, the space above the crown sheet, a cross wall in the forward part out the fire box, an inclined bafile at each side of the box carried on said tubes, and a substantially transversely extending battle above said first baffles supported by said tubes, there being a circulation space for theproducts of combustion between the upper'edges of said side battles and the under lace of said transverse bafie and the forward m teor a edge of all three of said baflies cooperating with the cross wall to form a chamber below and to the rear of the walL' 9. In a locomotive fire box construction having side water legs, a cross wall, a crown sheet and a water space thereabove, the combination of aplurality of circulation tubes at each side of'the box, said tubes connecting their respective-water legs to the space above the crown sheet and inclining inwardly and upwardly-in a direction transverse of the box a portion of the distance toward the center line thereof and then outwardly to the crown sheet, a bafile at each side ot the box supported on the inwardly inclined portion of the tubes and a baflie above said side bafilesfsupported by and spanning the space between said tubes at a point where they incline outwardly, said bafflges extending rearwardly ct said cross wal 10. In a locomotive fire box construction having side waterlegs, a crown sheet and a water 5 ace thereabove, the combination of i a circulation tube at each side of the'box extending upwardly and inwardly in a direction transverse ofithe box for a portion of its length from oint adjacent the lower end of its respective water leg and then outwardly toward the upper end of the water leg whereby said lower end is connected to the upper end and to the space above the crown sheet, a baflge at each side of the box supported by the inwardly inclined rtions of the tubesfa transversely exten ing JUHN P. NEFJF. 

